Hyderabad: A couple escaped with severe burn injuries when a domestic gas cylinder exploded in their house followed by the roof collapse on Tuesday night. The incident took place at Kothapet under Balapur police station limits when the couple was cooking food.
The victims identified as Shaik Sikander, 40, and his wife Fathima Begum, 38, had a narrow escape with about 90 per cent and 50 per cent burns respectively, and were admitted to Osmania General Hospital.
Sikander, a driver, and his wife used to live in an independent house at Arafat colony in Balapur. The couple does not have children.
At around 10.30 pm on Tuesday, a huge explosion took place in their house followed by the roof collapsing. As the house is located at a distance from other houses, the blaze did not spread much.
The locals immediately informed the Balapur police, who rushed the couple to Osmania General Hospital in an ambulance for treatment.
Balapur sub-inspector P Naga Raju said, “The explosion is suspected to be a result of gas leakage from a domestic cylinder, which was placed near the electric stove. When Fathima was cooking food on the electric stove, Sikander was helping her. He suffered 90 percent burns and Fathima has 50 percent burns on her body.”
Sikander was able to talk and give his statement about the incident. The health condition of the couple is stated as critical by the doctors at the government hospital, said the SI.
He said that on Thursday morning, a dog squad and a probe team inspected the explosion site and collected the clues. A case of fire mishap has been registered.
